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My Favourite Place This Year, Top Tips, and Plans for 2018

A year is a long time, but it's never long enough to accommodate all of the places you want to visit, and Scotland has an abundance of those places. In 2017, I visited a fair few places in Scotland and experienced some great views, so here's some of my favourites.

Aviemore

In May, my girlfriend and I went on a trip up north to the Cairngorm town of Aviemore, as part of my birthday celebrations. We set off in the late morning to start our 3 and a half hour journey up the road, we had a beautifully sunny day and we found it difficult not to stop and take pictures of the beautiful rolling hills. We had a one night stay in Aviemore, taking some lovely walks, enjoying a beautiful meal at the Hilton Coylumbridge restaurant and also visiting the Cairngorm Brewery to pick up some Cairngorm Gold for my old man!

Jedburgh (Monteath Mausoleum)

I visited Jedburgh in mid-November this year as it is a place that holds many special memories for me and my family. We went along to the caravan park and hiked along through the woods up to the Monteath Mausoleum, you can get some stunning views from up on the mausoleum, and for me, it brought back many happy memories from being on family holidays and playing here with my brother and sister. The stone lions give the place a majestic feel, although they did look a lot bigger and scarier when I was wee!

Edinburgh

I'm not too sure whether this counts or not as a place I have technically "visited" as I am from here, but I'm putting it in anyway! I was recently on a video shoot for a video American production company Devin SuperTramp were filming in Edinburgh. I was part of the crew who were showing everyone around the city and for the first time, I saw my own city through the eyes of a tourist and it was incredible. Being from Edinburgh, it is difficult to really appreciate the true beauty of what is before you and take it for granted. However, spending 3 days in the city's Old Town and up Arthur's Seat, made me realise how stunning my city really is and how lucky I am to be from a city with as rich heritage as ours.

My Top Tips

MY top tips for anyone wanting to visit Scotland, or go on a staycation, would be to find out what you want to do while you're here, and if you don't have a scroll through the community or pop along to www.visitscotland.com. That way, you will have a brief idea as to what your itinerary would look like and whether it would be possible for you to go to see everything you want to see in your allotted time frame.

I would also highly reccommend visiting one of Scotland's 7 cities (it will be easier for flying visitors who will more than likely land in one of Scotland's cities). They are similar as they are all rich in heritage and history but at the same time completely different. Whichever one you end up visiting, you will love it.

What are My Plans for 2018?

There are so many places in Scotland that I would love to go in 2018 but i have whittled my options down to 3, and I will try to stick to this and visit them all throughout the year of 2018, and then some!

Glencoe

Arguably one of the most beautiful places on the planet is top of my list for next year. Of all the pictures I've seen of Glencoe, every single one just makes me want to go more. It strikes me as a truly beautiful place that you can never appreciate fully until you are there staring at the towering hills on either side of you. Do you agree?

Arran

I have been a big admirer of Arran for a long while now, especially its scenic coastlines and am planning to visit at some point next year. It seems like a really remote, intimate place full of cosy pubs and guesthouses. I can't wait to visit and uncover another part of Scotland that I've never visited.

Dunnottar Castle

Finally on my Scotland wishlist it's Dunnottar Castle. It was a close call between Dunnottar and Eilean Donnar Castle, but have gone wit Dunnottar. It has a stunning backdrop and the reason that I chose it is precisely Because of its location out on the rocks. I just think it looks so majestic and I bet when you are out there it feels like you are standing on the edge of the world!

That's my three favourite places in Scotland that I visited this year and 3 places that are on my plan for next year...what are yours?

Comments

Sounds like a fun filled year Liam. There's never enough time to do all of the things you want to do in a year - I propose adding a few extra months. 2018 plans firmed up so far involve a dog friendly city break in Glasgow (it is the 'Dear Green Place' after all and perfect for dogs), I'm also spending a week on the wonderful Ardtornish Estate in Morvern - it's a remote paradise and brilliant for hiking. Then there's a wee tootle round the NE250 in a VW camper van as I've always fancied hiring one. It's a favourite route of ours too, but now it has a fancy new name it'd be silly not to do it again. And then there's Crieff, Harris and Lewis and Campeltown. Now bring on 2018, I'm ready for it.

I'm a Scottish travel blogger and freelance writer with an extensive knowledge of travelling in Scotland. I'm always on the road exploring my wonderful country. I love remote places, history and the great outdoors.

3 locations on my plans for next year are definitely the V&A Museum of Design Dundee which is due to open in the second-half of 2018! The museum is a stunning and unique piece of 21st Century architecture and sits boldly over the River Tay! I just can't wait to experience the museum, the interior is going to be stunning as well I am sure!!! The museum is really starting to bolster their design collections and they will be surprising and inspiring for sure! They are emphasising Scotland's design heritage so there will be something for everyone! More information on the V&A Dundee at their website:

I really have been aiming to see the Torridon area in Wester Ross for a while now so I will have to take some time to experience that area in 2018! I was really in inspired to visit the mountainous landscapes out there and I would like to see to coastal views as well. They always say the Applecross road is fantastic.

So many other areas on my radar but I would like to do a bit more exploring around the Cairngorms National Park. Loch Garry in Highland Perthshire always looks dramatic and beautiful and I have been looking at maybe Loch Ericht just a bit further north. Lots of planning to be done but it is always good to have things to aim for!

Anyone else got 3 main places in mind for visiting around Scotland in 2018?

I sadly haven't explored much of Scotland this year. Not as much as I wanted at least.But the Isle of Coll was definitely and amazing discovery and a wonderful place. Shame my stay has been cut short by storm Ophelia.

3 places for 2018?I would love to have a wee break and head up to Orkney and visit Westray and then fly to Papa Westray and experience the shortest flight in the world.

Definitely going back to Coll for this year's session of Coll and the Cosmos. Hopefully I'll have more luck with the weather.

Thanks everyone. This thread is of great interest to me as I am planning a trip to.Scotland probably in the spring of this year. We will be flying into Glasgow. Definitely want to go to Edinburgh and researching where we should go. Likely ten to fourteen days. Researching family trees to find where our clans are from.